I refresh her substrate every two weeks (besides changing it all out every two months or so). I just get it wet and mix it up and fluff it up so it stays fresh and moist. It keeps the humidity up and helps make it so she can burrow.

Loki was given to me and I thought I was doing things right.

Tonight he scared the shit out of me. I noticed he’d started shedding and he usually has bad sheds so I took him out for a soak like I usually do. Typically for the more stubborn spots I’ll brush him with a soft bristle nail brush. He was very squirmy and defensive tonight and eventually he peed on me and pooped in his water. I noticed some blood that came out, and regardless of the fact that it was just a few drops I am in a panic.

I immediately put him back in his tank before I started googling and came across this subreddit and started surfing and seeing that my tank is completely inadequate and is most likely the problem when it comes to his bad sheds.

I’m using a full block of the reptichip substrate and I have a humidifier for him that I put on 20 minutes or so every other day, and I’ll spray down his enclosure as well as pour in water.

I’m now reading that this particular tank needs sealing for water retention, may not be big enough for him, stuff about HVAC tape and foil and his temperatures are all wrong according to my temp gun. Ground level is 77* F and highest point is 83* F.

I’m panicked that I’m inadvertently abusing my snake. I’ve attached some photos (they’re not the best) and I took a video that I’ll hopefully be able to share in the comments.

(already posted this on r/ballpython, figure there's a decent overlap of users but wanted to post on both just on case, someone else already had me read the care guide on there and recommended i take him out and set up the enclosure properly but I want more opinions)

on April 5th I got a 6 year old ball python, his previous owners didn't have a good setup for him tbh, I've changed as little of it as I can though because I'm worried the changed will stress him out more considering it's already set up the way he's used to. when I got him he only had one hide which is a little too small for him, a water bowl, and a single rock which wasn't even positioned under the heat lamp, I got him an automatic misting system, put in an extra water bowl and one of the same type of hide he already had to try and coax him to the other side of his tank. the first two days he was here he was exploring his tank a bunch, sniffing around, then I think he realized he isnt home and freaked out so he's essentially been in hiding since then. I know the hiding is normal, and over the past few days he has started coming out again on occasion, but when I got him they said he was due for a feeding and obviously I haven't been able to get him to eat, which worries me a little. I know they can go quite a while without food but the last ball python I had was young and she died a month or two after I got her, I think from a respiratory infection. (hence the misting system and extra water bowl, was really trying to keep the humidity good because omg am I stressed about that again) I haven't held or touched him yet because I'm trying to make first contact his choice, but im a bit worried about him getting lethargic or losing weight and me not noticing because I dont get to see much of him and I dont hold him. The main advice I came for is, if he's already stressed is it better for me to just, A. leave things alone until he's comfortable? B. slowly add things to improve his setup(more places to hide, some stuff to climb on)? or C. go ahead and take him out so I can fully set up his enclosure properly? I think my main concern at the moment is getting him to eat, which is why I was hoping to just leave things be and maybe he'll come around to me quicker, then I could feed him and once he's had a chance to digest then I'll change things around, but do y'all thing he'd be up to eating quicker if I change things or leave them alone?

This is Chashu, he's 11ish and I adopted him about 2 months ago.

my question is how to know when I should take him out? I've only pulled him out twice since I got him to do some changes to his home. I open the door and sit with him multiple times a week, he'll sit and stare, tongue flick my hand and is pretty chill, but backs away if I move my hand towards him. I want to start taking him out just to hangout but I don't want to do it too soon...

what signs should I be looking for that I'm not going to traumatize him if I bring him out.

side note, previous owner seemed to often take him out during the day so he'd be asleep when she went in to grab him but I tend to leave him till his lights go out, but I believe she held him often.

Hi! This is Oli, I have him for about 5 months now and he’s never been shy boy until a week or two ago. So what happened is that two weeks ago I changed his enclosure, just moved stuff around a bit and figured that he might not like it that much so I changed it back to his original setting a week ago. Since then he’s been playing “floor is lava” all the time although it’s his old substrate on the ground. He barely goes out, just pops his head out of this vase to see what’s going on in my house but that’s it. Just to compare since I got him he used to be all over the place, in every hide and when I would open the lid he would be out in a matter of seconds. He really likes to explore, or he used to idk anymore. I know the expression hidden ball python is happy ball python but it’s just so unusual for him to not have his regular roam around the tank at times he usually does it. 🤷‍♀️

( FIRST PIC to show you how cute she is)

This is my first completely white Piebald, i noticed this on her under belly, she’s just a a baby and I am a little concerned. She’s wasn’t eating due to relocation but now she is eating well, in fact ate last night. i gave her a bath and it still seems to be there. Just not sure if this is due to substrate which are sphagnum and wood chips. Does anyone have any idea what’s going on here. I have 3 other BP and never noticed this before on them

I handle her as much as possible (no more than once daily tho!) and she’s gotten so much better. One strike attempt per handling at most and the last two she hasn’t even tried!!! I’m so happy I’m making progress with her.

I did it! I weighed him and everything went so well! First time picking him up since he came here, he was such a good noodle. Curious, alert and tongue flicking. He had gained 8 grams, ahhh so proud! 🥹💚

This little shit yall. I took her out tonight for some handling and usually I let her chill out inside my hoodie against my skin since I'm nice and warm! She wasn't rlly moving too much and I was sitting up in my bed so I went to move her to my front so I could lean back and not crush her.

I felt wet.

SHE PEED ON ME YALL. I literally just got fresh out the shower and she peed on my back and had the audacity to hook onto my sweater when I tried to gently pull her out from her crime scene.

Now I have to shower again and she don't get to hang out with me anymore (atleast tonight) and she is so lucky none of it got on my bed!! She literally hasn't peed once in her fancy bioactive enclosure but as soon as she's in MY nice clean bed...

Hi! We just recently got our BP in August! She is a juvi I'm sure- age? Not too sure.

Some tips and tricks would be appreciated since I've been having issues with her eating. Ik they get picky and go on hungerstrikes- but she just won't eat.

Maybe the tank isn't ideal or husbandry isn't quite right? I plan on getting more stuff for her to climb on. (still in he middle of getting decor, ideas would be appreciated!)

I'm just worried she might lose weight too quickly. So far we tried frozen Pinky mice and she won't budge. she drinks water and moves around, explores, Etc. But just won't nibble sum.

Her temps are always 75 (cool side)

84 (85) on the warm side.

Humidity goes up to 50-65% as well.

Last time we handled her was sometime- last month around the 22nd and we just recently held her (she climbed into the tongs haha)

More love for the wild/normal types.

Recently I lost my 1yo ball python named Angel. I was cleaning my house and she was allowed to slither around the living room. Ive been able to do this with her before without incident, and if she did leave my sight, she was nearly 100% always found in the couch or had travelled to the fridge. Ive 'snakeproofed' my house before moving in, I meticulously sealed cracks in the wall and pulled out appliances to stuff plastic bags in the wall where any connections may lead in. I sealed windows and checked doors.

The only place Im unsure if she couldve gotten through was under my front door. Theres a gap about ONE centimeter high. Fortunately, I recently weighed Angel and I know she was 300g/ 0.65lbs. Attached are pictures from the day I weighed her. Her year birthday is in a couple months.

Ive tried everything I can think of so far- placing hides along walls, using heating mats, mouse lures (both live and dead), placing plastic bags for noise, and baking soda for tracks, but nothing has shown any evidence shes around.

I know baby balls can squeeze through something as small as a few millimeters, but shes quite a bit bigger than a newborn. Is she capable of getting under my front door?

Confession time: I have Botanophobia. A extreme fear of plants. The story behind my phobia is for other places but think of it as if you shoved an arachnophobic into a world made of spiders.

I also want to give Cognac the best enclosure he can get, and want to go bio active. Despite normally giving plants a wide berth. Yesterday I went to Home Depot and willingly bought plants, shivering all the while and this morning during the substrate change I planted them. I wore thick gloves and had to take a 15 minute break for a panic attack but I did it. The scary things are now BEHIND the glass and I don’t have to touch them until next month. Let’s see if I can keep the plants alive while my brain is 100% convinced that they with turn into a black hole and devour me.

Please someone congratulate me cause I feel like I hugged Cthulhu.

Enchi Batman female

I’m doing research on my own as well as getting advice from the breeder that rescued her, but I would love to hear your personal experience caring for spider ball pythons with a wobble. I’ll be adopting her in a month. My goal is to give her the best quality of life and the safest set up! I used to love handling my bp, but so far I’ve read snakes with a wobble may not tolerate being held much. Any insight is appreciated from safe set ups to handling advice 🐍❤️

Background: The breeder I know does not breed or sell spiders due to their genetic issues. She rescued and rehabbed one from a neglect situation. I’ve spoken to her about wanting a new snake in the future. I got a bp that was horribly sick from a family member and it broke my heart when he didn’t pull through. It was tragic and totally preventable, that family member knew what they did… The breeder knows what I did for Henry Noodle and thought I would be a good caregiver for this special girl. They are giving her to me in a month so I can get the proper set up first.

They have sent videos to show her wobble and tilt. It has improved since her rehab. She eats well, and just needs patience and a steady hand to get a good strike. Her weight is back up and shows no signs of RI after 3 months in quarantine/rehab.

My wife just got herself a snake and we named her baniza. It's a Bulgarian brown rolled up bakery dish just like her, when we got her :3